Materials handling pallet



Feb. 19, 1957 D. H. BITNEY 2,781,936

MATERIALS HANDLING PALLET Filed Oct. 18, 1954 5 Sheets-Sheet l 28 l6 l7l8 fizz/Way United States Patent MATERIALS HANDLING PALLET Dewey H.Bitney, Albion, Mich., assignor to Union Steel Products Company, Albion,Mich.

Application October 18, 1954, Serial No. 462,763

10 Claims. (Cl. 220-6) This invention relates to materials handlingpallets particularly walled pallets having collapsible walls.

The main objects of this invention are:

First, to provide a walled materials handling pallet of the stackingtype having collapsible walls in which the walls may be compactlycollapsed and when erected are capable of withstanding very heavy loads,such as result when a plurality of loaded pallets are stacked one uponthe other.

Second, to provide a walled materials handling pallet having collapsiblewalls in which the walls are compactly collapsed and are well protectedfrom injury when in collapsed position.

Third, to provide a walled pallet having these advantages which isrelatively simple and economically constructed.

Objects relating to details and economies of the invention will appearfrom the description to follow. The invention is defined and pointed outin the claims.

A preferred embodiment of the invention is illustrated in theaccompanying drawing, in which:

Fig. 1 is a vertical transverse sectional view of a pallet embodying myinvention with the walls in erected position.

Fig. 2 is a transverse sectional view with the walls in collapsedposition.

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary view with the parts enlarged as compared toFigs. 1 and 2 taken on a line corresponding to line 3-3 of Fig. 4.

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary view on a line corresponding to line 44 of Fig.3 showing the walls in erected position by full lines and the side wallin collapsed position by dotted lines.

. Fig. 5 is a fragmentary view partially in vertical section of amodified form or embodiment of my invention.

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary view in section on a line corresponding to line66 of Fig. 5.

The embodiment of my invention illustrated in Figs. 1. to 4 includes adeck bed comprising the side sill members 1-1 formed of upwardly facingchannel section and cross members 2, also formed of channel section andwith their ends fixedly secured to the side sill members as indicated at3. Only one cross bed member is illustrated but it will be understoodthat there are a plurality of these.

The deck flooring or body is of grid like type and comprises an upperseries of spaced parallel rod like slats 4 and a lower series of spacedparallel slats 5 disposed in crossing relation and fixedly secured attheir crossing points as by welds indicated at 6 in Fig. 4.

The lower series of slats are disposed transversely of and fixedlysecured upon the side sill members desirably by welding thereto asindicated at 7. The ends of the lower series of slats 5' project beyondthe side members and side guard rails 8 are fixedly secured to theirprojecting ends so as to bridge the space between them. End guard rails9 are secured to the undersides of the upper series of deck slats asshown in Fig. 3.

The legs 10 illustrated are those illustrated and de- 2,781,936 PatentedFeb. 19, 1957 scribed in the application of Charles C. Averill, SerialNo. 460,876 filed October 7, 1954. These legs are provided with seats 11for the side bed members and are fixedly secured thereto as by the welds12. The legs are provided with inwardly projecting arms 13 which arefixedly secured to the underside of the deck members of the lower seriesunderlapped thereby as indicated at 14.

The side walls designated generally by the numeral 15 and the end wallsdesignated by the numeral 16 are formed of a plurality of vertical slats17 and horizontal slats 18 arranged in spaced parallel relation andsecured together at their crossing points as by means of welds, asindicated at 19. These side and end members are hingedly or swingablyconnected in pairs by means of the helically coiled hinge members 20which embrace the adjacent vertical end slats of the pair of side andend walls. These hinge connections for the walls are disposed atdiagonally opposite corners of the walls and only one is illustrated butit will be understood that the hinge connection for the I other pair maybe a duplicate of that shown in Figs. 1 and 2. Parts are omitted forconvenience in illustration and to avoid confusion. The collapsed pairsof walls are collapsible inwardly one upon another above the deck. It isimmaterial which pair of collapsed walls are first to be collapsed uponthe deck. The side walls 15 are each provided with inwardly projectinghinge arms 21 preferably formed by inturned extensions on the lower endsof the vertical slats of the side walls. The inner ends of these hingearms are connected by hinge or pivot rods 22 secured thereto by welds23.

The pivot rods are disposed at the inner sides of the deck slats 24 ofthe upper series and swingably secured thereto by the coiled hingemembers 25 which closely embrace the pivot rods 22 and the slats 24 asis best illustrated in Figs. 3 and 4.

The hinge arms 21 are positioned between the bottom series of slats ofthe deck and when the walls are erected rest directly upon the side bedmembers 1. With the erected walls in erected position angles 26 of theside walls vertical slats 17 with their hinge arms 21 are inside of andguarded by the guard rails 8, as is shown in Fig. 4 which prevents theirbeing engaged at this point by some object in the handling of thepallets. It should be noted that the load upon the side walls forsuperimposed crates is received directly by the sill side members 1. Theend guard rails 9 are disposed at the outer sides of the end walls 16and serve to protect the end walls.

The legs are provided with downwardly facing stacking recesses 27 whichare in vertical alignment with the side walls when the walls areerected, as is shown in Fig. l. The swinging ends of the end walls areprovided with means for detachably securing them to the adjacent sidewalls. Only the keepers 28 are illustrated, the coacting bolts are notillustrated as they form no part of this invention.

The hinlged or outer ends of the collapsed pairs of walls are spacedinwardly from the guard rails 8 so that the collapsed Walls are notlikely to be engaged by some object or part in the handling of thepallet in collapsed form and the collapsed walls are capable ofsustaining the load such as result from the stacking of the pallets withtheir Walls collapsed.

The embodiment of my invention shown in Figs. 5 and 6 is the same asthat described, insofar as the deck and walls are concerned, but in thisembodiment the legs 30 are formed as integral castings and are providedwith seats 31 their upper ends receiving the deck bed and leg attachingbars 32 which are in the form of rods, as distinguished from the channelbed members 1 of the embodiment of Figs. 1 to 4. The rod like bedmembers are arranged in pairs and secured to the lower series of deckbars 5 by welds indicated at 33. The legs are welded to 3 the bars asindicated at 34 and the welds 33 may also serve as leg connections. Theopposed pairs of legs are connected by base bars 35 but as that forms nopart of my present invention their further details are not shown.

The deck bed and leg attaching bars 32 are readily adapted to legs ofthe cast type. It will be noted that the side walls rest directly uponthe bars 32 which are in turn directly supported by the legs. Thisrelieves the deck of stresses and strains under very heavy loads thatfrequently result from the stacking of a plurality of loaded containersone upon another and at the same time the walls are collapsible forstorage and transportation when unloaded.

It will be understood that the term side" in reference to side bedmembers and side walls is used in the foregoing description and claimsfor convenience and not as limiting the matter of dimensions relative toother parts.

.1 have illustrated and described my invention in a highly practicalembodiment thereof. I have not attempted to illustrate other embodimentsor adaptations as it is believed this disclosure will enable thoseskilled in the art to embodyor adapt my invention as may be desired.

Having thus described my invention, What I claim as new and desire tosecure by Letters Patent is:

1. In a walled materials handling pallet, the combination of a deck bedcomprising side members and cross members extending between and fixedlysecured to said side members, a grid like deck disposed on said deck bedand comprising an upper series and a lower series of spaced slatsfixedly connected at their crossing points, the lower series of slatsbeing disposed transversely of and fixedly secured upon the side bedmembers to project outwardly beyond the same, the cross members being insupporting relation to the upper series of deck slats and fixedlysecured thereto, deck guard rails secured upon the upper sides of saidprojecting ends of the lower series of deck slats, side and end wallscomprising fixedly connected vertical and horizontal slats, each of saidend walls having one of its vertical edges hingedly connected to theadjacent vertical edge of a different one of said side walls to permitthe collapsing of each end wall on a side wall, the vertical slats ofthe side walls having in wardly projecting hinge arm extensions at theirlower ends connected by pivot rods, each pivot rod being disposed at theouter side of and pivotally connected to a deck slat of the upper seriesadjacent to but spaced inwardly from a side bed member, said hinge armsbeing disposed between adjacent slats of the bottom series when thewalls are erected and in supported engagement with the said bed sidemembers and at the inner sides of the guard rails, the collapsed pairsof walls being collapsible in overlapping relation upon the deck.

2. In a walled materials handling pallet, the combination of a deck bedcomprising side members and cross members extending between and fixedlysecured to said side members, a grid like deck disposed on said deck bedand comprising an upper series and a lower series of spaced slatsfixedly connected at their crossing points, the lower series of slatsbeing disposed transversely of and fixedly secured upon the side bedmembers, the cross members being in supporting relation to the upperseries of deck slats and fixedly secured thereto, side and end wallscomprising fixedly connected vertical and horizontal slats each of saidend walls having one of its vertical edges hingedly connected to theadjacent vertical edge of a different one of said side walls to permitthe collapsing of each end wall on a side wall, the vertical slats ofthe side walls having inwardly projecting hinge arm extensions at theirlower ends connected by pivot rods, each pivot rod being disposed at theouter side of and pivotally connected to a deck slat of the upper seriesadjacent to but spaced inwardly from a side bed member, said hinge armsbeing disposed between adjacent slats of the bottom series when thewalls are erected and in supported engage- 4 ment with the said bed sidemembers and, the collapsed pairs of walls being collapsible inoverlapping relation upon the deck.

3. in a walled materials handling pallet, the combina tion of a deck bedcomprising side members, and cross members extending between and fixedlysecured to said side members, a grid like deck disposed on said deck bedand comprising an upper series and a lower series of spaced slatsfixedly connected at their crossing points, the lower series of slatsbeing disposed transversely of and fixedly secured upon the side bedmembers, the cross members being in supporting relation to the upperseries of deck slats and fixedly secured thereto, side and end wallscomprising fixedly connected vertical and horizontal slats each of saidend walls having one of its vertical edges hingedly connected to theadjacent vertical edge of a different one of said side walls to permitthe collapsing of each end wall on a side wall, the vertical slats ofthe side Walls having inwardly projecting hinge arm extensions at theirlower ends connected by pivot rods, each pivot rod being disposed ,atthe outer side of and pivotally eonnected to a deck slat of the upperseries adjacent to but spaced inwardly from a side bed member, saidhinge arms being disposed between adjacent slats of the bottom serieswhen the walls are erected and in supported engagement with the said bedside members, the collapsed pairs of walls being collapsible inoverlapping relation upon the deck, and legs fixedly secured to saidside bed members and having downwardly facing stacking recessesvertically aligned with the side walls when the walls are in erectedposition.

4. In a walled materials handling pallet, the combination of a deck bedcomprising side members, a grid like deck disposed on tSZllCl deck bedand comprising an upper series and a lower series of spaced. slatsfixedly connected at their crossing points, the lower series of slatsbeing disposed transversely of and fixedly secured upon the side bedmembers to project outwardly beyond the same, deck side guard railssecured upon the upper sides of the projecting ends of the lower seriesof deck slats, side and end walls swingably connected in pairs to permitthe collapsing of the walls of the pairs upon each other, the side wallshaving inwardly projecting hinge arms at their lower edges connected bypivot rods, each pivot rod being disposed at the outer side of andpivotally connected to a deck slat of the upper series adjacent to aside bed member, said arms being disposed between adjacent slats of tnebottom series when the walls are erected and in supported engagementwith the said bed side members and at the inner sides of the guardrails, the collapsed pairs of walls being collapsible in overlappingrelation upon the deck.

5. In a walled materials handling pallet, the combination of a deck bedcomprising side members, a grid like deck disposed on said deck bed andcomprising an upper series and a lower series of spaced slats fixedlyconnected at their crossing points, the lower series of slats beingdisposed transversely of and fixedly secured upon the side bed members,side and end walls swingably connected in pairs to permit the collapsingof the walls of the pairs upon each other, the side walls havinginwardly projecting hinge arms at their lower edges connected by pivotrods, each pivot rod being disposed at the outer sides of and pivotallyconnected to a deck slat of the upper series adjaeent to a side bedmember, said arms being disposed between adjacent slats of the bottomseries when the Walls are erected and in supported engagement with thesaid bed side members, the collapsed pairs of walls being collapsible inoverlapping relation upon the deck.

6. In a Walled materials handling pallet, the combination of a deck bedcomprising side members, a grid like deck disposed on said deck bed andcomprising an upper series and a lower series of spaced slats fixedlyconnected at their crossing points, the lower series of slats being rdisposed transversely of and fixedly secured upon the side bed members,side and end walls swingably connected in pairs to permit the collapsingof the walls of the pairs upon each other, the side walls havinginwardly projecting hinge arms at their lower edges connected by pivotrods, said pivot rod being disposed at the outer side of and pivotallyconnected to a deck slat of the upper series adjacent to a side bedmember, said arms being disposed between adjacent slats of the bottomseries when the walls are erected and in supported engagement with thesaid bed side members, the collapsed pairs of walls being collapsible inoverlapping relation upon the deck, and legs fixedly connected to saidside bed members and having downwardly facing stacking recesses invertically aligned relation to the side walls when in erected position.

7. In a walled material handling pallet, the combination of a deckcomprising an upper series and a lower series of spaced slats fixedlyconnected at their crossing points, deck supporting and leg attachingbars disposed transversely of and secured to the under sides of thelower series of deck slats adjacent to but in inwardly spaced relationto the outer ends thereof, legs fixedly secured to said leg attachingbars, side and end walls swingably connected in pairs to permit thecollapsing of the walls of the pairs upon each other, the side wallshaving inwardly projecting hinge arms at their lower ends connected bypivot rods disposed on the upper sides thereof each pivot rod beingpivotally connected to a deck slat of the upper series adjacent to andspaced inwardly of a leg attaching bar, said arms being disposed betweendeck slats of the lower series when the side Walls are erected and insupported engagement with said leg attaching bars, the collapsed pairsof walls being collapsible in overlapping relation upon the deck.

8. In a walled material handling pallet, the combination of a deckcomprising an upper series and a lower series of spaced slats fixedlyconnected at their crossing points, deck supporting and leg attachingbars disposed transversely of and secured to the under sides of thelower series of deck slats adjacent to but in inwardly spaced relationto the outer ends thereof, legs fixedly secured to said leg attachingbars, side and end walls swingably connected in pairs to permit thecollapsing of the walls of the pairs upon each other, the side wallshaving inwardly projecting hinge arms at their lower ends connected bypivot rods, each pivot rod being pivotally connected to a deck slat ofthe upper series, said arms being disposed between deck slats of thelower series when the side walls are erected and in supported engagementwith said leg attaching bars, the collapsed pairs of walls beingcollapsible in overlapping relation upon the deck.

9. in a Walled materials handling pallet, the combination of a deck,deck bed members disposed at opposite sides of the deck, and side andend walls swingably connected in pairs to permit the collapsing of thewalls of the pairs upon each other, the side walls having inwardlyprojecting hinge arms at their lower edges pivotally connected to thedeck in inwardly spaced relation to the said deck bed members, said deckhaving openings therein above said deck bed members to receive said armswhen side walls are erected with the arms in direct supported engagementwith said bed members.

10. In a walled materials handling pallet, the combination of a deck,deck bed members disposed at opposite sides of the deck, and side andend walls swingably connected in pairs to permit the collapsing of theWalls of the pairs upon each other, the side walls having inwardlyprojecting hinge arms at their lower edges pivotally connected to thedeck in inwardly spaced relation to the said deck bed members, said deckhaving openings therein above said deck bed members to receive said armswhen the side walls are erected with the arms in direct supportedengagement with said bed members, the outer ends of the walls when incollapsed overlapping relation being spaced inwardly relative to thedeck members.

Bitney Aug. 11, 1953 Coit Jan. 26, 1954

